Express lane socks
Posted: February 23, 2020 Filed under: Knitting, Ravelry, Socks | Tags: Knitting, Ravelry, Socks 12 Comments
Sometimes you just need to knit socks – or is that just me?
I scored a lovely ball of Paintbox yarn at a charity shop on a recent stay in Malvern. This was in a basket of mixed balls but clearly hadn’t been opened/used and at £2 seemed like a good buy.
I’m absolutely committed to knitting toe up socks as my grafting skills leave much to be desired! Being a bit lazy I decided to use my usual Lacery sock pattern but transfer the lace section from Express Lane to the pattern. Both patterns are free on Ravelry, and though I chose to use my familiar pattern I can’t see any difficulties with the other.
The lace pattern was sufficient to maintain an interest, but not so complicated that it wasn’t easy to memorise. I’m really happy with these socks, although the pattern may be more obvious if I’d used a plain rather than tweedy yarn.
My sock drawer is looking pretty healthy now but I can’t see a time when a new pair won’t be welcomed 😉.
Patrones coat finished
Posted: February 3, 2020 Filed under: Coats, Knitting, Patrones, Ravelry | Tags: Coats, Knitting, Patrones, Ravelry 19 CommentsAt long last I have finished the Patrones coat. This was cut out in late October/November, and has been leering at me from the cutting table for longer than was reasonable. Having determined in my last post to spend the following day making some solid progress on it I can confirm that this was enough to make me get stuck in. I was slightly shocked at how long it took to complete – but completed it now is. Check this out!
The pockets have been hand stitched on the inside so that they look like they are attached by magic. This was hard on the fingers with this thick felted wool but I’m very happy with the results.
In the interests of keeping this looking very simple I decided not to machine top stitch the fronts and collar but to hand stitch this too. Had I learned nothing from the pockets! It took ages but I’m very happy I spent the time – the layers needed to be anchored and this makes them look really good.
I was slightly disappointed that the buttons I bought specifically for this coat turned out to be too big. Amazingly I found a good alternative in the button stash 😁.
I will get a picture of me wearing this at some point but in the interests of getting it posted I’m relying on Bessie to model.
Buried under the pile of fabric and pattern pieces was a scarf I made some time ago (and had completely forgotten) from a pattern given to me by my lovely sister. It was knitted in the yarn given to me by nana kathy in my Stitching Santa parcel . I loved the way the colour works with the Chartreuse green of the coat so I’m sure it will be well used – and more visibly than socks. The pattern is Hitchhiker, and is available here in Ravelry. It was a particularly good pattern to use as you can keep knitting until you have used up the available yarn. Genius!
My next sewing project is planned but it might just take a while before I get going. Enjoy whatever you are doing!
Kim
Knitting…… but no sewing
Posted: October 21, 2019 Filed under: Bookbinding, Books, Knitting, Ravelry, WRE | Tags: Bookbinding, Books, Knitting, Ravelry, WRE 17 CommentsI haven’t done any sewing since my last post – I had every intention of starting to sew my coat for this winter but I got diverted. I’m blaming the lovely Sheila from Sewchet who I follow on Instagram
More explanation needed. Sheila posted a beautiful book that she had made. Yes – made. She gave the link to the LearnBookbinding site where she bought the materials and instructions. I love a new challenge, and this looked intriguing.
Well with a solo day coming up that I knew I could use to concentrate on this I made my order and settled back to wait for delivery. And wait. Sadly the kit didn’t arrive until after my intended day but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience once I got another free day after its arrival. Check these out! (Sorry if you’ve already seem them on Instagram)
I was thrilled with the results and have every intention of making more. They are fairly time consuming but I wouldn’t describe them as particularly difficult. Addictive perhaps.
I also finished a jumper I had been knitting for what seemed like … ever. It is the Sunray Ribbing Jumper by Susan Crawford which I found on Ravelry and is something of a departure from my style but I liked it so……
This is a vintage style, and as such it is a fairly close fit. I don’t really wear close fit so though I’m pleased with the results it feels a bit strange. I’m sure I’ll get used to it but for the minute you get flat lay photos. One of the things I loved was the points round the neckline. I didn’t change anything much though I did omit the short back buttoned opening. Very much of its time so perfect in the design but I was sure I could get this over my head without and thought this colour might prove a challenge to get buttons I liked.
The yarn was bought in that massive haul I brought back from WRE which was a while ago so it felt good to use almost all of it. There’s more yarn to be used from that day but we’ll gloss over that. This was a cashmere mix that is a discontinued Rowan yarn and is lovely directly against my skin – just as well since that’s how this is designed to be worn. The design looks very impressive and wasn’t anything like as difficult to knit as it appears.
Hopefully I will get that coat started now and have some sewing to show you next time.
Until then keep sewing/knitting/or whatever floats your boat 😁
I suck at stashbusting
Posted: February 8, 2018 Filed under: Elizabeth Zimmerman, Knitting, Ravelry, WRE | Tags: Elizabeth Zimmerman, Knitting, Ravelry, WRE 22 CommentsYup. It’s absolutely official after yesterday. But I do have mitigating circumstances M’Lud.
Ok, I need to explain myself. After The Management retired he started to volunteer at our lovely local museum and was given the job as the person in the air raid shelter who explains how the war affected Bewdley and the surrounding area. He did all of last summer wearing ‘civvies’ but it was discussed and decided that he really needed to wear something not exactly period but more in keeping with the time. And it’s often freezing in there so he needs to be warm too. So we were thinking something a bit like this maybe….
Well…. maybe not exactly like that but you get the idea. I did find another image which was full length but he looked a bit of a ‘spiv’. Anyway, the air raid shelter was originally built for the Post Office staff so maybe he would have been a Post Office Clerk, or since he’s The Management a Post Office Manager. This is getting a bit off topic.
Well I have wanted to use one of Elizabeth Zimmermans patterns for ages – Kate has been making some wonderful jumpers for herself here at Fabrickated . I managed to buy one book from Amazon, and got another from the library – EZ’s Knitting Workshop – which has a sweater that pretty much fits the bill for himself – check it out on Ravelry! And I get to use EZ’s methods. Score!
Well, I started looking for the shetland wool I wanted to make this in, located it online and costed the project, but left it unbought for now. Then what should happen but I get an email from the Worcester Resource Exchange to say they had lots of yarn for sale. It would have been rude not to go and…can you believe it! The exact same yarn at a third of the cost. Well, I couldn’t turn that down could I?
The colours go brilliantly with a tweed jacket we found in a local Charity Shop, and a tie bought from E-Bay (I can’t believe how difficult it has been to find a suitable tie!). All we need is a pair of shoes and suitable trousers to go with the sweater and he will be done.
While I was there some sock yarn jumped into my bag too. I couldn’t stop it! Honestly – just look! How beautiful is that? I’m hiding that for the time being.
I’m up to the armhole divide now on my Botanical Yoke sweater if I use the length given on the pattern. I’m tempted to add a little extra length but will try the red one on again before making a decision. I will have to put it to one side for the moment so that I can concentrate of getting the Fair Isle sweater ready for the museum season starting in March.
Better get a move on!
Bye bye Larry
Posted: May 6, 2017 Filed under: Knitting, Ravelry, Uncategorized | Tags: Knitting, Ravelry 17 CommentsRemember Larry, the wonderfully warm and useful sweater knitted way back in September/October 2014 which recently developed a hole right in the front? Well, with great regret I spent an afternoon when I wasn’t really able to do anything else ripping it to it’s component parts – viz, Rowan Wool Aran. This had cost me a fair amount way back and I’m nothing if not thrifty so I wasn’t prepared to just bin this.
I really liked Larry and if it hadn’t been too big for me now I would have repaired that hole and saved myself a bag load of work. However, I have also been going through the pictures ripped out from magazines that I like (we all save these, don’t we?) and found this….
…lovely isn’t it?
The picture hasn’t got a date on it but seems to have been late last year, and is by a brand called VINCE (pulled from Porter magazine). I love this so I’m planning to adapt another sweater from Ravelry. I have found the Berocco Bell Rock turtleneck which I think I can adapt to look much like this.
The yarn is now washed and wound into balls. Thankfully the ‘kinks’ all smoothed out after washing. The Management said it looked like I had shaved a poodle before that 🙂 .
It wasn’t until I was looking for the date when I knitted Larry that I realised just how much knitting I do! I knit to relax so this may reduce now that I’m not sewing for clients.
What do you prefer to do – knit, sew, or something else completely?
Look out for progress soon – I am missing my warm brown sweater.
Kim
Relaxing, and getting things done, is soooo good!
Posted: February 8, 2017 Filed under: Dresses, Independent Patterns, Knitting, Life, Purl Soho, Ravelry, Savage Coco, Socks | Tags: Dresses, Independent Patterns, Knitting, Life, Purl Soho, Ravelry, Savage Coco, Socks 35 CommentsYes, it’s official – I’m retired so don’t ask me to do a darned thing!
Actually not quite true yet as I still have a very small amount of client work outstanding – but it’s all work that has no deadline so I can actually do it when I feel like that sort of work rather than feeling obligated. How happy am I! I promise this is the last time I gloat ‘coz I’m retired . Honest.
Anyway, my last post was a frantic dash to get the Jungle January garments posted before Ann slammed the gate closed so I didn’t tell what else I had been doing so I will start here..
In with my lovely knitting ‘Stitching Santa’ parcel from Jo was a skein of sock yarn in lovely greens. Clearly since it was my gift I had to knit this for myself. Since I had no other knitting on the needles I decided to start January with this. The yarn was a lovely Superwash wool/nylon sock yarn by Knitglobal which knitted up beautifully into very comfy socks. Thankfully they are also very warm because it has been positively bleak here in the UK. Grey and wet. Yuck! There are another couple of balls of Drops sock yarn so I can start another pair whenever I want. Bliss!
..and back
Butterick 6388 front…
I started sewing with the Butterick 6388 pattern and a cheerful red polka dot jersey because …well, it’s miserable in January! Red always cheers me up. However, I really have to say I prefer this as a top (as it was for JJ in the last post). It’s a great pattern – and I certainly see more of these in the (possibly near) future – but I like the top better. The pockets in the diagonal seams are great but inclined to open up a bit when you are wearing the dress. I may go back and sew these closed. The fabric is far from high quality – probably plain polyester jersey from the Rag Market but I have no recollection as it had been in stash for ages. It does have as much stretch as the pattern claims to need but I would much prefer it to be stretchier as it clings a bit. It may behave better once it has been washed but at the moment it is giving electric shocks as there is so much static!
My next choice was another Rag Market fabric – this was an astonishingly good buy at a mere 50p per yard (or whatever length they were selling in that day) and is a very heavy jersey. I should probably have thought more carefully about that weight when I decided to repeat the wonderful Savage Coco Presto top in it. The front (and as it’s cold I did the back too) is doubled so there is a lot of cloth here. I really should have put a petticoat under that dress before taking photographs – I don’t usually have a sway back problem so I assume the cloth is just stuck to my tights. I really loved this made up as a top and have worn the ones I made last year Yikes!!! it was 2015 a massive amount. They have every right to be looking a bit shabby now. I’m not sure if I will keep this as a dress or shorten it to a t-shirt length. I’m really not good at wearing dresses but I’m trying so hard. Perhaps you could tell me what you think?
In addition to sewing these for me I have been destroying a whole load of good cotton. I really can’t believe how long it is taking to cut the pieces for The Managements quilt! Sheesh! All that time and I’m going to be spending even more sewing it all back together. Remind me whats great about quilting can you?! I can assure you that progress on this project is going to be outstandingly slow. No, even slower than that.
Having finished the socks I was knitting I have broken out of my sock addiction to start knitting a pattern by Purl Soho I saw a while back and just loved. At the time there didn’t seem to be many made up (and when I worked out the cost of the yarn recommended I could see why!). The Botanical Yoke pullover is shown made up in Cashmere/Merino which would quite clearly be heavenly to wear. As I hadn’t used a Purl Soho pattern (and as I said there was no information on Ravelry about the pattern at the time) I decided to make it up in a more summer appropriate, and purse friendly, Drops Cotton Light. Again I chose a bright red (what can I say, red just feels good in January) and have been enjoying knitting this whilst watching the telly box. I have the body knitted up to the armholes, and one sleeve started, so it shouldn’t be too long before I hit the exciting part. By knitting in this yarn first it will give me the opportunity to test the pattern, check the size (my guage is pretty much perfect), and decide if I love it enough to invest in the cashmere/merino to make a sweater to treasure. So far it’s looking good.
Already we are almost half way through February so there won’t be massive amounts sewn for me now (although there are patterns lined up ready to use). I do have a shirt cut out for The Management, and I really do want to start my coat before summer so I really should crack on. But, and it’s a big but, I am only sewing when I feel like it at the moment – and that feels really good. I have been reading, cooking, exercising, and clearing some of those jobs you always intend to go but tend to get left.
I’m enjoying life. Hope you are too.
Christmas planning and knitting for me!
Posted: December 1, 2016 Filed under: Knitting, Ravelry | Tags: Knitting, Ravelry 24 CommentsOh dear, here we are in December again. Every year I pledge to be better organised than last year and every year I regret not being. Maybe next year when I have retired?
Anyway, the weather has turned significantly colder and that always triggers my knitting bug. I really enjoy sitting in the evening on a cold, dark, stormy (sorry, getting carried away) night with a glass of something tasty and a nice knitting project. But it really gets in the way of the sewing plans!
Well, I got well and truly carried away when I was making an order for a couple of balls of yarn to finish off a project I was copying from the lovely Sue at Fadanista (click the link to see her lovely wrap) and the bag in the photo was the result. I do have plans for all of the yarn in there – but having used the extra yarn I needed to make the wrap that looked so good on Sue neither myself or The Management liked the result, neither thought I would make use of it so I am back to the drawing board with that particular yarn. This was in fact the second time I had knitted the wrap as I wasn’t convinced I had it right the first time and had to check with Sue. Rather than knitting again in rib I continued in moss stitch which looked lovely and tweedy – but the result wasn’t what I wanted. I pulled that one out before I remembered I should have taken photos – sorry!
Rather than get bogged down in that one again I have started on a vest top from Ravelry.
I had been looking for a pattern in 4 ply which would make a very fine, but warm, layer to wear with a shirt in a cotton chambray(ish) stuff bought from Barry’s on one of the Birmingham trips. I think I may have been subliminally drawn to this as it was in the colour I had in mind. Yes, I have very imaginatively bought the same colour as the picture (you can just about see it in the bag). It has been started now and is coming along quite nicely. The need for a project I could enjoy whilst watching the TV is fulfilled on the back (plain) but I am going to have to concentrate on those front cables 😉 .
Progress has been pretty good so far but I have also been making a couple of little side projects for Christmas. I have joined in with Sewchets Stitching Santa this year (my first time of joining in although I have lurked on the sidelines before) so I am slightly involved in those too.
Have I done any sewing for me since Nell I hear you ask. Well, I did a little job to make a handbag more comfortable. Does that count?
Too low for comfort
Shorten strap to the pin
Much better!
Apart from fabric I used for client work my stash has remained absolutely static. I can’t wait to get stuck into that lovely wool for my coat – I’m hopeful that I will start this weekend as the client work is pretty much under control (and I am not going to answer the phone. Only kidding).
I hope all of your Christmas plans are actually running ‘to plan’, and that any sewing you want for yourself is going well.
Back soon with progress – I hope 🙂
The Eternal Socks and more.
Posted: October 7, 2016 Filed under: Capes, Dressmaking, Independent Patterns, Knitting, Ravelry, Socks, Style Arc | Tags: Capes, Dressmaking, Knitting, Ravelry, Socks, Style Arc 41 CommentsNo. not how long I expect them to last – the time it has taken me to knit these blessed socks.
I used my basic pattern, which is the Lacery sock pattern which was free fom Ravelry, but used the cabled pattern all over the sock from the Little Minx socks, also free from Ravelry. The last time I used the Little Minx pattern I realised it didn’t have increases on the instep but didn’t think it would matter. After using the socks for a while I decided that whilst I liked the cabling they were a bit tight over the foot to put on. Fine once they are on there but a bit of a struggle initially!
Damn that dropped stitch!
I was finished one sock for a good while before I got on with the second as this has been my ‘portable project’ for a while. Socks are great for a project that can move with you and doesn’t take up too much space. A night of insomnia got me back on track and once cast on they were on their way. It wasn’t until I had finished the second sock it still took a while) and was darning in the two loose threads (I love toe-up socks for this detail – only two threads to darn in on one colour socks) I spotted this! Damn! A dropped stitch from while I was working the heel. Fortunately it hadn’t run away when I turned the sock through so I was able to effect a repair whilst muttering and cursing.
Instep detail
I am now happy to report that I have another pair of hand knitted socks for myself, and very comfy they are too. They were knitted in Yarn Gardens sock yarn which had a bit of something called ‘stelina sparkle’ included which makes them a bit twinkly. I know from the last Yarn Garden yarn I knitted that these will have to be washed on their own for a good few times as the dye seems to weep for a number of washes but doesn’t seem to fade – no, I don’t know how either.
Finished!
Something I hadn’t quite appreciated until I went to put the end of the yarn into the ‘leftovers bag’ was quite how much leftover sock yarn I have generated. I think I may have to knit a ‘two at once’ project and just make mad stripes to use some of this up.
Leftover sock yarn
So, any sewing Kim? Not as such. Lots of planning (I seem to spend more time planning my sewing than ever I do making things for me 😦 ), client work being kept steady – or even diminishing which is nice, and piles of PDF patterns printed out ready to get on with.
I stuck the Style Arc Toni pattern together a little while ago and decided that rather than spending the time tracing it from that I would just cut the pieces. Why didn’t I do that before? It is now sitting with the fabric I plan to make it in waiting for its turn. It was head of the list until I saw – Style Arc Nell.
This was love at first sight. I had flirted with the idea of a cape for quite some time but never taken the plunge. This just seemed to be exactly what I needed – and I knew exactly which fabric to make it in. A lovely raspberry fabric that had been lurking for some time. Oh, but would I end up looking a bit ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ (even though there is no hood other than me). Re think. A lovely textured grey wool sprung to mind – even longer in the stash than the raspberry. Perfect. Except there is only 1.5m and the pattern says 2. Pants. I really liked the idea of this in the grey so I spent this afternoon sticking the pattern together before cutting it out and placing (breath held the whole time) on the ‘too small’ piece of grey fabric. It fits. Just. Two pieces are a fraction off grain which I would usually not tolerate but this time needs must.
The piece turned out to be only 145cm long and I think that had it been the full 1.5m I could possibly have managed to cut this on grain – sadly I will have to find something else to make the pockets from (or go without , but I can’t see that happening!) as the pocket pieces wont fit. Hopefully I will get this cut out and overlocked over the weekend. The fabric is so loosely woven that if I don’t protect the edges I am going to have fraying beyond the not very generous seam allowances.
Back with progress soon.I hope.
Six Point Tee
Posted: September 17, 2016 Filed under: Knitting, Patrones, Ravelry, Tops/Blouses, Uncategorized | Tags: Knitting, Ravelry, Tops 14 CommentsIt has been a little while since I knitted this but I found it whilst sorting my wardrobe and remembered that not only had I not blogged it but I had extra yarn which I meant to sell.
Six Point Tee by Cathy Carrow – Front
Six Point Tee by Cathy Carrow – Back
This pattern was bought from Ravelry, and whilst most of the versions shown were made in the recommended Rowan All Seasons Chunky there were others that looked very good in other yarns. I knitted this in the 3rd size, to give a bust size of 41.5″ to give a very little positive ease. The yarn was easy to knit with, but being very chunky was a bit challenging to join where needed.
My top took about 5.5 balls (so 6 needed was correct) and I’m not entirely certain what I had intended to make with this yarn originally but I have 4.5 balls left. This quantity is sufficient to make this top in the smallest size (Bust 33 1/4) which needs 4 balls, or possibly the next size (Bust 37 1/4″) which claims to need 5.
Six Point Tee by Cathy Carrow – without t-shirt under
I will knit this top again as it is really comfortable, and as you can see from the photographs works well with and without a t-shirt underneath. I think it would look good in a slubby cotton to give a softer, less firm, garment. I could certainly reduce the hip increases for me when I make this again – I really have pathetic hips!
This yarn is selling on this site at £7.20 a ball on this site ( I think I paid about that when I bought it but can’t find the receipt). If anyone would be interested in buying this from me I would be happy to accept £15 (about 50% cost) + whatever it costs to post.
Let me know if you are interested.
Leftover Rowan All Seasons Chunky yarn
Planning…
Posted: November 24, 2015 Filed under: Aspire Channel Swim, Fabric Stash, Knitting, Ravelry, Trousers/Jeans | Tags: Aspire Channel Swim, Fabric, Knitting, Ravelry, Trousers 13 CommentsWell doesn’t time fly? Since I last posted you could be forgiven for thinking I hadn’t done anything. Since I don’t post any clients work I can’t show you any proof – but I promise I have been very busy. In addition to that The Management scheduled a trip to Northumberland to visit an old friend who had moved back there….. and deliver our family Christmas presents! At the time I was informed of this I had about a week to buy said gifts. It would be fair to say I was not too impressed, but now that it is done I can relax a bit and finish my other preparations.
During my time under cover I have still been stalking the blogs I know and love, and reconnected with one I used to read a while ago and seemed to have vanished from my WordPress reader (anyone else have those sort of problems? – and if I haven’t commented on your blog in a while it may be that you have vanished off the list and I haven’t noticed yet for which I can only apologise).
The blog I have found again is the lovely Evie at Pendle stitches who not only sews but knits some wonderful things for her family. In the post you get to if you click on the link you will find the fabulous Lemongrass sweater by Joji Locatelli.
Yarn for jumper and fabric for trousers
I thought that it was a fabulous sweater with some slightly different detailing (got to love that side feature!) and immediately hot footed it to Ravelry for the pattern. I was fortunate to receive an e-mail from the Wool Warehouse which gave me the incentive to get right on it and buy the yarn ready to start. I chose Drops Nepal in a lovely Pumpkin shade which I consider to be just right for autumn/winter. I really see too many dull shades from clients so like to introduce a little brightness myself where possible – and I love an orange colour in almost any circumstance.
The ideal partner for such a gorgeous coloured yarn is a pair of brown trousers – and my favourite pair are starting to look a bit shabby. OK, a lot shabby.
Priced in pesetas!
I have been dredging deep in my stash of late and found this lovely piece. A perfect fabric (though truly who knows what the composition is) and just the right quantity. I vaguely recalled buying this on a Spanish holiday but was both amazed and slightly appalled to discover it still had a price sticker on IN PESETAS! Oh, the shame. Now Spain adopted the Euro in January 1999 so I really think this lovely fabric has marinaded quite long enough and is to be made into my Jeanius jeans pattern with a couple of tweaks. There is a bit of lycra in the fabric so it will be perfect for trousers with a kind of jeans styling, but a bit smarter.
I have got rid of two large orders last weekend so I have a little more time to do something for myself – once I clear the family alterations! I have a bag from my mum, and a couple of things for my DD that she has been very patiently waiting for. I’m on it now. Honest.
Hopefully it wont be too long before I can make progress on my two garments.
Swimming progress
As you see from the ticker I am now at mile 19 – actually 19.2 – so I only have 2.8 miles left in the challenge. It seems to have lasted for ages but the end is in sight. Thanks for all your good wishes – and a special thank you to those who have sponsored me for Aspire. I have exceeded the amount I hoped to raise so I can only thank you for your generosity.
The Material Lady 